Educational game apparatus.



R. W. MANSFIELD. EDUCATIONAL GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 11 1905.

1,030,414, I Patented June25,1912.

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RICHARD WAYLAND MANSFIELD, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

EDUCATIONAL APPARATUS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 11, 1905.

Patented June 25,1912.

Serial No. 269,146.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD W. MANS- FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New London, county of New London, State of Connecticut, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Educational Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to game apparatus, and particularly for indoor use.

The object is to amuse young players and at the same time give them exercise in the use of numbers.

The apparatus creates interest and concentrates and directs the minds in competition to a definite end. The use of dice, cards or wheels, which are objectionable to some people, is avoided.

The invention consists in improvements. the principles of which are illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, and comprises a board, a set of numbered pieces and men. The board has its surface divided into areas distinguished by outlines or colors and constituting homes, fields, paths and a goal. The numbered pieces are drawn from a'box or pile and the men are moved from the homes toward the goal according to the numbers drawn and the problems solved.

Figure 1 shows the preferred form of board, which may be of wood, paper, pasteboard or other suitable material. Fig. 2 shows a set of the numbered pieces which may be of any suitable material or color. There are preferably eight pieces of each number, or eight sets. Fig. 3 shows the men, preferably two for each of four players, in distinguishing colors, as yellow, green, purple and black.

A is a home in each corner. Around each home is a field preferably divided into two parts B and C, which may be termed the drawing and problem fields, respectively.

D is the goal in the shape of a Maltese cross ornamented by a square and central circle.

The paths connect the homes with the goal, and consist of three parts, the entrance paths E leading from each home, the track F running around the inner border of the fields, and the paths G leading to the goal from each side. The track is divided into two rows of spaces and includes the corner space in each field. The space at the foot of each path G, the space in each corner of the goal, and the space in the track half way up on each side of each path G, are all safety spaces. The players sit facing the sides of the board and each selects a man and places it in the home on his right. The numbered pieces are all turned face down and well mixed. The player drawing the lowest number plays first and places it in his drawing field B. He then moves his man as many spaces as indicated by the number drawn, counting up the steps to the first safety at the corner of his field and thence along the track to the right. If he draws a 7, it is placed in the problem field C and he is entitled to move 14 spaces, or 7 additional. The next player on the right then draws a number and plays accordingly, and so on around to the first player. He then draws a second number, and plays accordingly. If the sum or difference of the two numbers drawn (or of any two numbers in his field B at any time) is equal to 7, the player places the two in his problem field C and is entitled to an additional 7 spaces advance, as 2+5:7, or 81:7. If a player at any time finds a 1, a 0 and a 3, he is entitled to the 7 points, 103:7. Each man is moved around the track counting straight ahead or diagonally, as desired, and crossing the foot of the paths G until it reaches the foot of the path G in front of the player controlling it, thence up the path G to the goal. The man first reaching the goal wins. A man may overtake another and force him back to the last safety passed. One man may not pass another except on the double portion of the paths, and may not touch a man on a safety.

Instead of drawing numbers one at a time during the game enough numbers may be drawn at once to fill the spaces of the drawing fields B, B. Each player then in turn plays from his drawing field B into his problem field G. hen one drawing field is filled the numbers are all put back into the pile or box from which they are drawn and all the players start anew.

The rules may provide for problems of multiplication or division, for instance, allow 7 points (more or less) for each product or dividend containing a 7, as 3 9 27 or 14-:2:7.

Another instructive but more difficult game awards a player 10 points in addition to the number drawn when he is able to arrange numbers drawn in his field B to indicate some important year or historical date, as 1776, 4 (July), or 25 (Christmas). In this case, no date may be used by more than one player in a game.

Another instructive game more suitable for older people, requires that the player must draw and arrange numbers representing the population of some town or city before extra points may be counted. For this purpose an atlas or census data may be used in conjunction with the game for determining matters in dispute.

In certain games pieces bearing the multiplication sign X, the division sign subtraction sign and addition sign may be employed. These preferably are distinguished in color from the numbered pieces. The drawing of different signs then determines the character of problem which must be next solved.

What I claim is:

1. A board for a game apparatus, having its surface provided with homes in the corners, fields around the homes, a goal in the center, spaced paths leading diagonally from the homes through the fields, and a spaced track running around the borders of the fields.

2. A board for a game apparatus, having its surface provided with homes in the corners, fields around the homes, a goal in the center, a double spaced track running around the border of the fields, and to the goal from the track.

3. A board for a game apparatus, having its surface provided with homes in the corners, fields around the homes, a goal in the center, spaced paths leading diagonally from the homes through the fields, a double spaced track running around the border of the fields, and spacedpaths leading to the goal from the track.

4. Game apparatus for a plurality of players comprisinga board having a drawing field and a problem field for each player,

paths leading 1 a spaced track, a plurality of numbered pieces for drawing and placing in the drawing field and removing to the problem field for displaying problems solved and men for moving on the track in accordance with the problems solved.

5. A game apparatus comprising a board with homes, two fields adjacent each home, a goal, spaced paths, numbered pieces for drawing and playing on the fields, and men for moving on the paths in accordance with the numbers drawn and the problems solvpd.

'6. A game apparatus comprising a board with two fields for each player, spaced paths around the inner edges of the fields, numbered pieces for playing on the fields, and men for moving on the paths according to the numbers drawn and the problems solved.

7. A board for a game apparatus, having its surface divided into areas representing a goal, fields, a double spaced track bordering the fields, and safety spaces at different points along the track half the widthof the track, and at one side thereof.

8. A game board having a central area, spaced paths leading from said area to each edge, a spaced track bordering the paths and two fields in'each of the corners divided into a plurality of small spaces of uniform size for the purpose specified.

9. A game apparatus, comprising a board having areas representing fields, homes, spaced paths, and a goal, a plurality of sets of similarly numbered pieces for drawing and solving problems on the fields and men for moving along the paths according to the numbers drawn and problems solved.

10. A game board having homes in the corners, a central area, a double spaced track surrounding said area, and single spaced paths leading from the homes to said track, the spaces forming the junction of said paths and track being designated as safety spaces.

11. A game board having homes in the corners, a central area, a double spaced track surrounding said area, and single spaced paths leading from the homes to said track, the spaces forming the junction of said paths and track being designated as safety spaces, and a plurality of additional safety spaces of double width in said track between said junction safety spaces.

12. Game apparatus comprising a board having homes, a drawing field and a problem field for each home, a goal and spaced paths connecting the homes and the goal, numbered pieces for placing in the drawing fields and removing to the problem fields, and men for moving on the paths. 7

13. A game board having a goal, homes in the corners, a field surrounding each home on two sides and divided into a plurality of uniform spaces, tracks bordering the fields and divided into adouble row of spaces, some of which single spaces are designated as safety spaces and spaced paths running between the tracks to they goal. i

14. Game apparatus comprising the combination of a board having one or more fields for each player and distinguishing spaced paths having designating starting spaces, a plurality of sets of numbered pieces for drawing and laying out problems on the fields and a plurality of men for moving along the paths according to the numbers drawn and the problems solved on the fields.

15. A game board having a central goal, spaced paths leading from the sides of the board to the goal, home spaces in the corners of the board, a field arranged on each side of each home space, spaced tracks passing between said paths and said fields and starting paths leading from the home spaces between the adjacent fields to said tracks.

Signed at New London Conn. this third day of July 1905.

RICHARD WAYLAND MANSFIELD. WVitnesses:

SIDNEY H. MINER, THOMAS C. DILLON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

